Know Here the Construction details with Concrete driveway Geelong
Concrete is a material highly preferred for driveways. Concrete slabs are durable and strong, requiring minimal maintenance. Concrete driveway Geelong presents the combination of longevity and strength, making it a good value for paving large areas. Concrete as a driveway surface is expensive in comparison to asphalt and gravel, but is less expensive than a cobblestone, brick, or concrete pavers driveway. Besides, it outlasts all these.
Why concrete for driveway?
Concrete is mistaken as cement, but it is just one component. In fact, concrete driveway Geelong consists of a composite material. It comprises of various stone types as composite material aggregating as a mixture of lime-based and water binder, forming cement. The cement is a power of clay and limestone. In the concrete mixture, the size varies depending on the concrete use. The concrete is in the gravel-size used for typical construction, mainly for smoother finished surfaces and finer work. The mixture typically is used in sidewalks, driveway slabs, and other paving surfaces as an aggregate ranging to sand-sized particles from gravel.
Concrete is slurry that takes to any form. It hardens gradually as concrete cures. The process of hardening continues for months and years, while curing for a few days makes it hard suitable for most uses. During mixing, other ingredients are added, to promote drying time and strength.
Maintenance
Concrete driveway Geelong is actually maintenance free. Yet, there is a need to keep the driveway sealed and clean. Giving a good scrubbing using a stiff brush and hose helps handling the cleaning and offers a protection layer. Sealing the driveway annually helps it withstand even harsh winter weather.
Ensuring concrete driveway is helpful as you get to follow important specifications during installation. To ascertain problem-free driveway, consider proper construction details, such as:
- Placing proper thickness– A major factor is thickness that determines the structural capacity of a driveway. You can place 4 inches as minimum thickness. Increasing up to 5 inches will increase the concrete cost to 20%. However, it will promote the load carrying capacity of your driveway to 50%. Thickening the driveway edges by 1 or 2 inches offers additional support.
- Prepared sub-grade– The soil compaction and composition forms a good sub-grade to offer enough support. Ascertain slab thickness and avoid structural cracking and slab settlement. Use good material such as crushed rock or gravel as sub-grade material.
- Reinforce with rebar & wire mesh– Use steel reinforcement so that it provides structural capacity for the driveway. It is important as driveways are exposed to heavy traffic. Concrete driveway Geelong helps hold together and using wire mesh for 4 to 5 inches and rebar ensures a grid pattern. It reinforces the center and stays strong for a longer time.